Therapeutic exercising appliance



Dec 17, 1935. c. A. VOLF 2,024,670

I THERAPEUTIC EXERCISING APPLIANCE 7 Filed April 26, 1954. 2 Sheds-Sheet1 'ENVENTIOR Chrzstzan A. Volfi ATTORNEY5.

Dec. 17, 1935. c. A. VOLF 2,024,670

THERAPEUTIC EXERCISING APPLIANCE Filed April 26, 1934. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2I I y INVENTOR i0 J5 0p m'hm'sbz'amAVa ATTORNEY/5.

Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STAT PATENT OFFICE THERAPEUTIC EXERCISINGAPPLIANCE Christian A. Volf, New York, N. Y., assignor to Nanna Landerand Ejnar Tornoe, both of New York, N. Y.

This invention is a therapeutic exercising appliance, primarily for usein applying gentle movements to various parts of the body, particularlyto a. fractured limb. The medical profes- 5 sion appreciates that theimmobility given to a fractured limb by the use of splints or plastercasts is in some instances distinctly harmful to the patient because thenormal circulation, due to lack of movement of the muscles and jointsand 10 due to the pressure of the bandages, is very much hindered, sothat when the cast or splints are taken off, the limb is stiff and thepatient is usually unable to move it at all, and weeks of massage andgentle exercise are required to restore 15 the normal circulation andnormal tone to the muscles.

According to this invention, movements of graduated and controlled typemay be applied to a fractured limb so that the circulation through 530the muscles and joints is maintained to a much better degree than withan immobilized limb.

When the patient is discharged, he is usually able to walk without theaid of crutches.

The invention is capable of use generally in applying movements tovarious parts of the body, for improving the circulation and forimproving and maintaining the tone of the muscles, under any conditionswhere such movements would be helpful, such for example as withfractures of w) the arm or leg, infantile paralysis, rheumaticconditions, arthritis, etc.

The primary purpose of the invention is to provide an apparatus forkinetic therapeutics which 7' is operated by the patient himself andwhere the motion of the patients hand, for example, which is applyingthe power, moves in harmony with the motion of the fractured limb. Morepartic ularly, and according to this invention, where the hand operatedby the patient moves in a certain path, the injured limb is moved insuch a way that it is more or less an instinctive, normal and harmoniousmovement on the part of the patient.

Another important feature of the invention is an apparatus so designedthat it can be readily and detachably secured to a standard hospitalbed, and can be readily and quickly partially disassembled, so as to beput out of the way when not in use and to be put out of the way whilethe v bed clothes are being changed, or the patient is being bathed, forexample. After the patient has been treated as may be required with theapparatus out of the way, it may be quickly and readily put back innormal and operative position. The apparatus may also be completely andreadily removed from the bed upon the recovery of the patient.

Another important feature of the invention is an operating shaft whichextends across the bed from one side to the other which shaft is rotated5 by the patient. On this shaft is positioned one or more pulleys,depending on the number of injured limbs which are undergoing treatment.

The main features of the invention having been thus outlined, furtheradvantages of structure and operation will be apparent from thefollowing description of the present preferred embodiment of theapparatus.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the exercising appliance, in place on ahospital bed;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the frame swung into aninoperative position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an end View of one of the clamps for engaging with the bedrail; Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 11 of Fig.2; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 8-43 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to these figures, in which similar reference charactersindicate similar parts, the improved exercising appliance comprises agenerally rectangular frame consisting of an upper horizontal rail 2, alower horizontal rail 4 and end bars 5. This frame is firmly anddetachably secured to the side rail 8 of a standard hospital bed by aclamp comprising a body member it provided with a hole ll therethroughfor slidable engagement on the lower rail 4. Clamp I0 is provided with aspring pressed positioning stud 53 adapted to snap into depressions 13on the underside of rail 4, as shown in Fig. 3. The clamp is has an arm52 which takes over the top of the bed rail 8 and an anchoring clamp l4pivotally engaged at It with the main clamp. The anchor member M- isinternally threaded and carries a threaded shaft is terminating in abearing face 25] which through the medium of the thumb nut 22 firmlyanchors the clamp and lower rail to the bed rail, as shown moreparticularly in Figs. 3 and e.

A pair of collars 24 are slidable on the rail 4, these collars passingaround the rail 4 and gripping it frictionally through the medium ofthumb screws .25. Pivoted to the collars 24 is a pair of converging legs26 which meetin suitable bearings 28 carried on a transversely extendingshaft 30, the other end of which is provided with similar bearings 31,with which engages a pair of converging legs 25' on the other side ofthe bed, having a function analogous to the legs 26. A retaining collar33 and cooperating set screw 33' hold the bearings 3! in place on shaft3 The legs 25 preferably pass through guides 32 and slidably engagetherewith. Guides 32 are pivotally connected by pins 34 to guides 35,respectively, which slide on the upper rail 2. By virtue of thisarrangement, the angularity of legs 26 may be adjusted by slidingcollars 24 along the rail 4, the legs 2%: moving in the guide members 32and 35, .18 guides moving with respect to each other about pins 34 toallow for this adjustment. The lower ends of the other legs 26' on theside of the bed engage with slidable collars 24' which slide on ahorizontal rail or bar 40 which is detachably clamped to the bed rail onthe other side of the bed by clamps I which have the same structure andoperation as the clamps II].

The supporting means for the limb of the patient will now be described.A frame consisting of vertical standards 42, is provided, the upper endsof which standards encircle the rail 2 and the lower ends of which areprovided with pins 44 engageable in holes 46 in lower rail 4, the framebeing completed by a cross piece 48. Extending from the standards 42 isa pair of horizontally extending arms 53, arranged to extend about asfar as the middle of the bed, or, if desired, all the way across thebed. Supported on these arms 55 is a pair of channeled members 52,forming a channeled guldeway for rollers 54, these rollers being facedwith rubber 56. Diagonal braces attached to frame 42 and the guideway52, further support the guideway. Rollers 54 support a shaft 58, andthis shaft, through the medium of bearings 6!), supports a tube 52 whichin turn carries collars 64, the collars being secured to tube 52 andbeing provided with extensions 66 for supporting a foot rest or the like68. The collars 64 also support a stirrup to the cross piece 12 of whichis attached an actuating rope "M, which rope wraps around a pulley 16,which pulley is slidable on the shaft 30 and may be secured any desiredposition on this shaft by the thumb screw 18. The stirrup H3 is adaptedto be bound into contact with the patients leg by the bandages orwrappings 89, the patients foot resting against the foot piece 58 andthe foot piece and the stirrup being rockable with the tube 52 about theaxis 58, and slidable bacl; and forth along the channeled guideway 52. Asnap hook 73 may be used to attach rope 14 to the stirrup bar 12.

It should be noted that the support for the patients foot is held by theframe 42, and does not rely on the mattress for support.

The mechanism whereby the patient may operate the foot rest back andforth will now be described. A collar 82 is slidable on the upper rail 2and the extent of its movement in either direction is determined by stopcollars 84 which may be positioned at various points along the rail 2 bythe thumb screws 85. is provided with a handle 82 which may be graspedby the patient. To this collar 82 is attached as at 88 a rope or cable90 which passes around a pulley 92 on the 2 and then wraps around apulley fi l fixed on one end of the actuating shaft 39, the ropecontinuing over the pulley The collar 82 94 and having attached to itslower end an adjustable counter-balance weight 96. Pulley 94 isdetachably. secured to shaft 30 by a set screw 95. As the patient movesthe collar 82 back and forth, the rope 90 rotates pulley 94 and shaft 35which in turn actuates rope 14 to pull on the stirrup l2 and pull up andlet down the patients leg. The ropes are preferably engaged with theirpulleys in such a way that when the patient pulls the handle 82' towardshim, the leg is straightened out, while when the handle is moved in theopposite direction the knee is pulled up and the leg flexed at the knee.The extent of this movemei: is controlled by the setting of the collars34 and as the patients condition improves the amount of movement and theresulting flexing of the limb can be increased. The use of thecounter-balance 96 lessens the effort required on the part of thepatient.

When it is desired to get the apparatus out of the way for any purpose,the patients leg is disengaged from the apparatus in any convenient way,as by moving him lengthwise of the bed so that the rollers 5-4 come outof the guideway, the thumb screws 94 and 33' loosened up, the shaft 35moved toward the left with respect to t.-; patient as shown in Fig. 2,sufficient to disengage .the right hand end of the shaft 36 from hearing3! and then the apparatus swung nearly 130 as indicated in Fig. 4, sothat it swings toward the floor and is entirely out of the patients way.The apparatus may be removed completely from he bed by release of theclamps and iii. The patients foot could also be released from the footrest 68 by making the connection between stirrup l6 and collars 64 adetachable connection.

As illustrated in the drawings, the patients eft leg is undergoingtreatment and the apparatus is set up on the left hand side of the bed.If the right leg of the patient should require treatment the entireapparatus is set up on the opposite side of the bed, that is, oppositefrom the set up shown in Fig. 1. If both legs of the patient requiretreatment the foot rest 68 and associated parts shown in Fig. 1 may beduplicated. Similarly if the arms of the patient require treatment theapparatus may with slight modifications be used for that purpose also.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated insome detail, it should be understood that the invention is not limitedto the precise details shown and described, but mo -"iiications may bemade of the particular construction illustrated without departing fromthe invention.

I claim as my invention: "c e :rcisi;

ed, applie slideway for appliance for use type of bed, said applination,means for sup- .it for move-- :oss the bed, connected to with a hospitalor ance comprising,

rhent. a pen r above the b by the p actuating the power shaft.

3. A therapeutic exercising appliance for use 75 with a hospital orsimilar type of bed, said appliance comprising, in combination, meansfor supporting an injured limb of a patient for movement, a power shaftextending across the bed, above the patient, and operatively connectedto ie limb supporting means, and means, operable by the patient, forapplyin manual power for actuating the power shaft, said limb supportingmeans and power shaft actuating means, being movable in paths which arelengthwise of the bed.

4. A therapeutic exercising appliance for use with a hospital or similartype of bed, said appliance comprising, in combination, a frame forattachment to the bed of a patient, lengthwise of the bed and at oneside thereof, a power shaft supported by said frame, and extendingacross the bed, over the patient, movable supporting means for theinjured limb of the patient, and operatively connected with the powershaft, and means operable by the patient, for actuating the power shaft.

5. A therapeutic exercising appliance for use with a hospital or similartype of bed, said appliance comprising in combination, a frame forattachment to the bed of a patient, lengthwise of the bed and at oneside thereof a power shaft supported by said frame, movable supportingmeans for the injured limb of the patient, carried by said frame andextending over the bed and operatively connected with the power shaft,and means operable by the patient, for actuating the power shaft.

6. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, aframe for attachment to the bed of a patient, a power shaft supported bysaid frame, movable supporting means for the injured limb of thepatient, comprising a slideway supported by said frame and extendingover the be and operatively connected with the power shaft, and meansoperable by the patient, for actuating the power shaft.

7. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, aframe for attachment to the bed of a patient, lengthwise of the bed andat one side thereof a power shaft supported by said frame, and extendingacross the bed, over the patient, movable supporting means for theinjured limb of the patient, carried by said frame and extending overthe bed and operatively connected with the power shaft, and meansoperable by the patient, for actuating the power shaft.

8. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, aframe for attachment to the bed of a patient, a power shaft supported bysaid frame, and extending across the bed, over the patient, movablesupporting means for the injured limb of the patient, comprising aslideway supported by said frame and. extending over the bed andoperatively connected with the power shaft, and means operable by thepatient, for actuating the power shaft.

9. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, aframe substantially the length of a patients bed, means for detachablysecuring said frame to one of the side rails of the bed, means, carriedby said frame, for movably supporting an injured limb of the patient, apower shaft, supported by said frame and extending across the bed abovethe patient, means operatively connecting the limb supporting means andthe power shaft, and means, operated by the patient, for actuating saidpower shaft.

10. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, aframe substantially the length of a patients bed, means for detachablysecuring said frame to one of the side rails of the bed, means, carriedby said frame, for movably supporting an injured limb of the patient, apower shaft, supported by said frame and extending across the bed abovethe patient, means operatively connecting the limb supporting means andthe power shaft, and means, carried by said frame and operated by thepatient, for actuating said power shaft.

11. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, aframe substantially the length of a patients bed, means for detachablysecuring said frame to one of the side rails of the bed, means, carriedby said frame, for movably supporting an injured limb of the patient, apower shaft, means, carried by said frame and extending upwardly wellabove the frame, for supporting said power shaft, means operativelyconnecting the limb supporting means and the power shaft, and means,operated by the patient, for actuating said power shaft.

12. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, aframe substantially the length of a patients bed, means for securingsaid frame to a side rail of the bed, said means allowing said frame tobe swung away from the bed, toward the floor, without disengagement fromthe side rail of the bed, means, carried by said frame, for movablysupporting an injured limb of the patient, and means, operated by thepatient, for operating said limb supporting means.

13. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, aframe for attachment to a side rail of a patients bed, a power shaft,supported by said frame, and extending across the bed, above thepatient, means for movably supporting an injured limb of the patient,and operatively connected with said power shaft, means, operated by thepatient, for actuating the power shaft, and means for detachablysecuring said frame to a side rail of the bed, and engageable pivotallywith the frame for allowing the appliance to be swung away from the bed,toward the floor, for putting it temporarily out of the way.

14. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, afour sided frame, comprising upper and lower rails which extendsubstantially horizontally, means for detachably securing the lower railto a side rail of a patients bed, means, carried by the frame andextending inwardly over the bed, for movably supporting an injured limbof the patient, a power shaft extending across the bed, above thepatient, supported by said frame and operatively connected with saidlimb supporting means, and means for operating said power shaft.

15. A therapeutic exercising appliance, comprising, in combination, afour sided frame, comprising upper and lower rails which extendsubstantially horizontally, means for detachably securing the lower railto a side rail of a patients bed, means, carried by the frame andextending inwardly over the bed, for movably supporting an injured limbof the patient, a power shaft extending across the bed, above thepatient, diagonally extending, upwardly converging legs, carried by theframe, for supporting the power shaft, and means, operated by thepatient, for actuating said power shaft.

CHRISTIAN A. VOLF.

